COVID-19 and essential services provision for survivors of violence against women and girls

This brief explores the implications for the provision of essential services for women and girls who have experienced violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides recommendations for governments, civil society, and international organizations that are seeking to improve the quality of and access to coordinated health, police and justice, and social services for all women and girls, especially those who face multiple forms of discrimination and are at increased risk of experiencing violence. It was informed by a wide range of stakeholders, including civil society and women’s rights organizations, which, in many countries, provide most of the frontline services for survivors.